Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

These turn out much like the Starbucks Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins that they have this time of year. I have played around with lots of different ingredients and had many different taste testers to help me out. I think I have one that comes pretty close.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Pinch of cardamom (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 cups cooked or canned pumpkin
1 ¼ cups vegetable oil
8 oz package cream cheese
Chopped nuts* (walnuts, pecans) (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350. Mix ingredients together except cream cheese and nuts. Fill muffin tins (greased or paper cups) half full. Put 1-2 tsp cream cheese in the middle, pressing down. Sprinkle with 1 tsp chopped nuts. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the muffin part (do not touch the cream cheese!). Let cool in pans for 5 minutes, then remove to racks to cool completely. Do not touch the cream cheese until it cools, as it is very very hot. Makes 24 muffins.

*Starbucks uses chopped pumpkin seeds, which are very good if you can find them. I like walnuts, but any kind of nuts work well.

Comments (2)

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I made these today, and they're really good. They all look nice - with the cream cheese peeking out and the walnuts on top. I substituted the 1 1/4 c oil with 3/4 c applesauce and 1/2 c oil, because that much oil seemed really unhealthy. Since they turned out well, next time I'll try to swap all the oil for applesauce. I also changed up the spices, using 3 tsp. cinnamon, 1 1/2 tsp. nutmeg and 1 tsp. cloves. I did this because I don't keep pumpkin pie spice on hand. Also, the next time I make these I want to sweeten the cream cheese, and maybe add some vanilla and/or cinnamon. I think that will make it more like a cheesecake filling, which will pair better with the spiced pumpkin cake.